Texas doesn’t get fall weather…we have hot, not-quite-so-hot, and then all of a sudden it gets chilly for a day or two. I keep waiting for those chilly days to stick around, and we’re not quite there yet. Alas, I felt I would get more into the fall mood if I roasted some lamb and had a glass of cabernet. This recipe is adapted from Gourmet magazine. I think it’s a wonderful, savory way to enjoy a lamb roast. I served it alongside some baked acorn squash and steamed asparagus. Tasty eats indeed! Chilly weather or not, it’s fall at my house!

6-7 garlic cloves, minced

12 canned anchovy fillets, drained and patted dry

¼ c olive oil

2 ½ T fresh rosemary, chopped

4-5 lb boneless leg of lamb, tied

2 t salt

¾ t freshly ground black pepper

Marinate:

Mash the garlic and anchovies into a paste, then stir together with olive oil and rosemary. Pat lamb dry and rub marinade all over the surface of the lamb, pushing the marinade into the meat as much as possible. Marinate lamb, loosely covered, at room temperature for an hour. (you can marinate for up to six hours, refrigerated. Just bring lamb out to bring up to room temperature one hour before you plan to cook it.)

Roast:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle lamb all over with salt and pepper, and then roast in a roasting pan with rack until a meat thermometer registers 125 degrees for medium rare, 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours. Let stand 20 minutes before slicing.